The Casey Crisis
by midnightquaffles
Summary: Struggling with finding her place in the family and unable to face the reality of Casey getting seriously injured, Lizzie runs away to her old home while Derek is in charge. A Derek and Lizzie sibling-bonding fic.
1. Chapter 1

It started out like any other Saturday with a fight between Derek and Casey. This time Derek had been trying to break his record for how many times he could piss Casey off before the end of breakfast, counting by the number of times "De-rek!" was screeched. He only got up to seven before Casey was annoyed enough to throw a banana at his head. With his quick reflexes, Derek ducked and the banana hit his stepmother Nora in the face as she entered the kitchen.

"Enough!" Nora shouted as she picked up the banana and slammed it on the counter, accidentally squishing it. Trying to end the incessant fighting, Nora suggested Casey accompany her food-shopping while Derek cleaned up the smushed banana and watched the kids.

It was such a mundane, everyday routine that none of the kids even glanced up to say goodbye to Nora and Casey. Marti was off in her imaginary world upstairs. Lizzie and Edwin were too preoccupied fighting over the remote in a Derek-and-Casey-like fashion—a fight which soon ended as Derek ordered Edwin to clean the kitchen counter and grabbed the remote from Lizzie's hand before settling into his recliner to watch the latest hockey game.

Sighing, Lizzie found herself looking out the window behind the television, watching the gentle fall of snowflakes. It was late January, one of the coldest and snowiest months of the year.

A few hours later, Lizzie was starting to get worried. Her mom and Casey were always very good at food shopping—they always had a list of not just what they needed but which brands to get based on what was on sale and they expertly navigated the supermarket without ever giving into impulse purchases. So what could be taking so long? Sighing, Lizzie shrugged it off, figuring maybe Casey conned their mom into some special shopping spree to avoid coming home and being tormented by Derek, and went to join Edwin in their latest spying adventure to uncover exactly what goes on in Marti's imaginary world.

Lizzie and Edwin's latest spying venture did not last too long before they both got roped into playing tea party with Marti and Marti's imaginary friend Daphne. When Marti turned around to invite her favorite stuffed monkey to the party, Edwin hissed to Lizzie, "Do we really have to do this?"

"Would you rather go downstairs and be Derek's personal valet?" Lizzie replied in a whisper, "Besides, it's something to do before Mom and Casey come home with some food."

"Food? What kind of tea party would this be without food?" Marti squealed as she served them imaginary ice-cream cones. Marti then proceeded to admonish Daphne for throwing her ice cream at Edwin's face while Edwin and Lizzie sighed, impatient for someone to come rescue them.

After half-heartedly participating in Marti's tea party, Lizzie and Edwin rushed downstairs at the sound of the front door opening and closing. They had assumed it would be Nora and Casey, returning from their grocery shopping and in need of help bringing in bags of food. However, George Venturi stormed in, hours before he typically came home from work.

"Dad, what's up?" Derek asked with an eyebrow raised, confused at his father's sudden appearance. It was only the early afternoon, what would he be doing home? Mentally, Derek ran through a checklist of what he could have possibly done to warrant his dad being so mad he had to come home from work early but couldn't think of anything _that_ bad. Lizzie and Edwin paused on the stairs, just as confused as Derek.

George ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Guys," George sighed, "There's been accident. I got the call at work that Nora and Casey are in the hospital. I don't know all the details, only that the roads got icy and a car skidded into theirs. I have to go to the hospital to see how they're doing and fill out some paperwork. Derek, you're in charge, and today is not the day to blow your chance at being responsible."

Derek merely scowled at his father before returning his attention to the hockey game. Edwin mumbled something about telling Marti. Lizzie felt like the only one besides George who was in a state of panic.

"W-what do you mean you don't know the details?" Lizzie asked, "Are they going to be okay? Are they even—"

"Lizzie," George gently interrupted, "all I know is that they survived the accident. I don't know how hurt they are, but I promise I'll call as soon as I find out."

Lizzie just nodded, looking down at the floor, thinking about what this could mean. What if they didn't make it? What would she do without them? Where would she go without them?

After George left, Lizzie looked around the living room. She noted the mess of Marti's toys strewn everywhere, chips and crumbs covering the coffee table, Derek's control over the television… The whole house was still utterly Venturi. Lizzie remembered how Casey tried and failed to feminize the house when they first moved in. The guys had taken it to be a feminine brainwashing ritual and Casey seemed to act like it was a war against the boys, specifically Derek. But for Lizzie it was all about making it their home, too. However, the only thing that made the Venturi house feel like home was the presence of her mom and sister. Without them…

Afraid she was about to cry (and no one cries in the same room as Derek Venturi), Lizzie slowly walked to her room, thinking about what life would be like without her mom and sister. She found it hard to imagine, but she pictured the Venturi's going back to whatever disgusting state they were in before the McDonald's moved in. Without her mom or Casey to nag the boys, the house would never be clean or even remotely organized. The house would only ever have junk food or take-out with George left to do all the food-shopping. Derek would be the sole oldest sibling and things would be quieter without him fighting with Casey, but he would also treat the rest of them like slaves. Edwin would go back to spending all his time being Derek's personal servant, as without Casey there would be a lot less spying to do and no hunts to find her diary or an offer for him to change sides. Without Casey, there was no Team-McDonald for him to switch to and no one to challenge Derek's dominance. And Marti… well, Marti would continue being the baby and probably a total princess without drama-queen Casey taking up all the princess-spotlight. And Lizzie… Lizzie imagined herself being the invisible girl living in a gross boy-ruled world. After all, she had no status in their family as it was.

She used to be the cute little sister, but then Marti took that job when they moved in with the Venturi's. Now she was just a middle-kid along with Edwin. _But at least Edwin has Derek,_ she thought. Edwin and Derek had that special brotherly bond, like Lizzie had her sisterly bond with Casey. But if Casey didn't make it through this, what would her status be in this household?

The more Lizzie thought about it, the closer she came to the conclusion that without her mom and sister, she had no place in this family. After all, the only reason she and Casey were part of the family was because her mom married George and couldn't exactly abandon her daughters the same way she abandoned most of their old furniture, old house, old job, and old life in Toronto.

Lizzie suddenly longed to return to Toronto, to go home. She couldn't stand just sitting around watching Derek boss Edwin around or have one more argument with Marti over her imaginary friend or just do nothing waiting around for George to call, possibly to get them ready to say their goodbyes. Unable to bear it, Lizzie grabbed her backpack and dumped out its school-related contents onto her floor, creating a mess her mother would scold her for. But her mother wasn't there, so Lizzie grabbed some clothes and money and began packing.

"Hey, Liz!" Edwin poked his head in, looking confused at the mess in Lizzie's normally spotless room, "Uh, what're you doing?"

"Going home," Lizzie mumbled as she struggled to close the zipper on her packed backpack.

"Uh, you do know you live here, right?" Edwin questioned, "And that we're supposed to forage through the house to find food to make lunch for us, Derek and Marti?"

Lizzie didn't respond.

"Lizzie? You okay?" Edwin asked, starting to get worried about his favorite step-sister/best friend.

Lizzie was far from okay, but she was hatching a plan to get a bus to Toronto—the last thing she needed was Edwin prying into her not-yet-fully-formed-plan. So Lizzie clenched her jaw and tried to sound normal when she said, "Yeah, I'm okay. I just need some space to deal with all this."

Edwin took the hint and left and Lizzie finished packing. Now came the hard part: sneaking out.

Although at this point Lizzie was certain none of the Venturi's would notice or care that she was leaving, Derek was in charge and Lizzie wasn't sure if this meant sneaking out would be easier or harder. He usually didn't care what she did as long as it didn't involve bothering him. On the other hand, today he was in charge and if he caught her sneaking out, he might try to stop her just so he wouldn't get in trouble for not "being responsible" and "watching the kids." Lizzie almost snorted to herself at that thought, knowing full well that the only thing Derek was watching was the television.

She stealthily made her way down the hall and peered over the banister to see if the coast to the front door was clear. The TV was still on, but the recliner was unoccupied and Lizzie could faintly hear Derek and Marti opening and closing cupboards in the kitchen and someone mentioning something about take-out. So Lizzie seized her chance and headed out the door.

She made it all the way to the bus stop before noticing how cold it was and wishing she had on a warmer coat. But it was too late to go back now—she had already stepped on the bus, ready go back to Toronto. Back to _her _home.

* * *

><p>Back at the Venturi house, Derek could find nothing to eat but Nora and Casey's health-crap and decided on ordering Chinese food. Marti was already there so he just called Edwin and Lizzie down. Edwin came quickly at the mention of food, but Lizzie was a no show.<p>

Annoyed, Derek yelled, "Lizzie, if you don't come down here and tell me what food you want, I'm ordering for you and feeding it to Marti's imaginary friend!"

"Her name is Daphne!" Marti scoffed.

"Uh, Derek, I think Lizzie's really upset..." Edwin told him.

Derek smirked and replied, "Too upset for food? Now that is just ridiculous," His smirk faded as he realized that Edwin was really worried. "Ed, go find out what she wants from the Chinese place," he ordered.

Five minutes later, Edwin yelled "DEREK!" from upstairs and came rushing down.

"Where's the fire, smokey?" Derek teased with a bemused smirk on his face.

"I can't find Lizzie!"

Immediately Derek's smirk disappeared and he began ordering his younger siblings to look in every hiding spot in the house they could think of. Marti obediently went downstairs to check the basement, but Edwin stayed put.

"I already looked, Derek, and I when I went to check on Lizzie earlier it looked like she was packing," Edwin said.

"Packing? Interesting. Did she say anything about what she was doing?" Derek questioned, trying to think of anywhere his younger step-sister might be.

"She said she was going home…that she needed space to deal…" Edwin said quietly.

Derek did not like the sound of that. For one, it confused the hell out him, as it did with Edwin. If Marti or Edwin had gone AWAL leaving a cryptic message, Derek would be able to decipher it within seconds. But he didn't know Lizzie as well as his blood-siblings and had no idea what she meant. Secondly, it was making him want to panic because he was in charge during a family emergency and his dad would kill him if he found out he lost his kid step-sister.

"You don't think she could have meant back to where they used to live before Dad married Nora, do you?" Edwin asked.

Derek snapped his head up, "Good job, Scooby, I think you might have solved the first clue. Next question: do you know where they used to live?"

Edwin shrugged, "Toronto?"

Derek sighed, "That's a huge city and it's nearly two hours away… How does a twelve year old get all the way to Toronto anyway?"

"Maybe she took a bus?"

Derek groaned, "I'll go check the bus station to see if she's there, if not I guess I'll have to go to Toronto. Watch Marti and if dad calls the house phone, make something up to cover. Dad cannot find out about this or he'll never let me take that road trip with Sam and Ralph over March Break."

Derek reached for the car keys and his cell phone off the kitchen counter when an idea struck him.

"Ed, does Liz have a cell phone?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah! I forgot she got one for her birthday!" Edwin gave Derek the number to no avail. Lizzie didn't answer.

"Okay, back to square one," Derek announced, "I'll go look for Lizzie, you watch Marti, cover for us if Dad calls and see if you can reach Lizzie's cell. And if you do get a hold of her, let her know she is so dead. And find out where she is and let me know so I can kill her myself."

* * *

><p>Lizzie finally arrived in Toronto and was excited to be back home. However, her excitement soon vanished as she began to walk and realized just how much the city had changed since she had moved. Her favorite pizza place had been renamed. The video rental store her mom always took her and Casey to on weekends was closed. Even her old elementary school had a new playground.<p>

Disgruntled at all the changes in her hometown, Lizzie walked the still-familiar streets to her old home. She didn't quite understand it, but she just _needed_ to go home. The home where she and Casey grew up, where she truly felt like she belonged.

However, as she turned onto her old street and saw the condo that was formerly her home with an unfamiliar car in the driveway and ugly lawn gnomes strewn about the yard, Lizzie began to wonder why she came all the way to Toronto to begin with. She had expected the condo to be exactly as they left it, with all their old furniture inside, and scribbles of her and Casey's heights still on the walls… her own home filled with memories of her mother and sister. She hadn't even considered that someone else may have moved in.

Now, Lizzie wasn't sure where to go. She was cold and tired and her feet hurt but she kept wandering because she didn't know what else to do. She wound up finding a bench to sit on at her favorite park. At first she looked over at the slides, noticing how much bigger they seemed to be when she was younger. Lizzie tried to fill her head with happy thoughts of all the times she and Casey played at the park when they were younger, but she couldn't keep her mind from wandering to her mother and sister in their present state, wondering how hurt they were, or if they had died in the hospital, or what in the world would she do without them…

Already, Lizzie felt completely lost with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. All she had was her backpack with some clothes, the remainder of her birthday money, the box of good cereal she had been saving in her room so Marti wouldn't steal all the marshmallows, and her cell phone. Hungry, Lizzie opened her bag to reach for some cereal and found her cell phone vibrating. One glance at the caller ID revealed it was Derek.

"H-hello?" Lizzie answered, her voice cracking a bit. She just realized she had been crying.

"Lizzie? Finally! Where the hell are you? Me and Edwin have been trying to reach you forever!"

_So much for me being so invisible they wouldn't notice I had left,_ Lizzie thought.

"I'm in Toronto," Lizzie mumbled so quietly she wasn't sure if he could hear her.

"Yeah, we figured that," Derek snapped, "Where in Toronto?"

Lizzie whispered the name of the park and Derek pressed her for directions.

"Wait- you're here?" Lizzie asked.

"Yeah, someone has to drag you back home. I'm almost there, just stay put and I'll come get you," Derek told her in that authoritative tone he usually reserved for bossing around Edwin before hanging up.

_Great_, Lizzie sarcastically thought. She was a little relieved to know she was about to be rescued from her hellish predicament, but also a little scared and a lot nervous. Derek had never sounded so angry with her before and she couldn't get herself to stop crying from worrying if her mom and Casey were okay, feeling like she had no place in the Venturi home, and now she had to stress over Derek seeing her cry and make fun of her for acting like such a baby. And if Derek was going to drag her home, then she would have to see her mother and sister hurt or dead and Lizzie wasn't sure if she could handle that. She knew they had to be really hurt, George wouldn't have left work to rush home and to the hospital otherwise. Lizzie was scared to know just how hurt they were. Cold and scared, Lizzie pulled her feet up on the bench and buried her head on her knees, trying to get herself to stop thinking and stop crying.

Suddenly Lizzie felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump and pick her head up.

"Woah, Liz, it's just me," Derek said as he sat next to her, warily eyeing the tear stains on her face, "So… what are we doing here?"

Lizzie shrugged, unsure what she should tell him because she could no longer even remember why she came there in the first place other than the overwhelming urge to return to a home she no longer had.

"So you made me drive all the way out here because you felt like going to a park in the middle of winter and turning into a human ice sculpture?"

Lizzie was in no mood for his teasing sarcasm. "I just wanted to go home, okay?" she mumbled.

"Well, then, you're a little lost. Home's two hours that-a-way," Derek said pointing behind him, "and we better get back there before my Dad does. Let's go."

Derek stood up and started walking toward the prince, motioning for Lizzie to follow him. He knew Lizzie needed one of those girly feel-good-family-moments Casey would give her and was determined to avoid such a thing at all costs. Derek did not do things like talk about "feelings," it pained him to even think of doing such a thing. The only way he would make an exception was if—_Oh shit. _Derek had turned around to find Lizzie reluctantly following him and he caught sight of tears silently escaping her eyes. Under normal circumstances, Derek would flee from the scene and tell Casey to go talk to her. However, he couldn't call Casey, nor could he leave Lizzie stranded in Toronto. And he certainly would not tolerate two hours trapped in a car with a crying step-sister.

Left with no other alternative, Derek sighed.

"Alright, Lizzie, what do you have against me that you had to run away to Toronto while I'm in charge and jeopardize my weekend plans?"

Lizzie shrugged, thinking to herself, _Leave it to Derek to make a major crisis of Casey proportions all about him. _

"How can you be so sarcastic and egotistical at a time like this? Aren't you the least bit worried about my mom or Casey?" she asked him pleadingly.

"No," Derek replied simply, "And you know why?"

Lizzie shook her head as they arrived at the Prince and got in. Derek started the car and cranked the heat up but instead of putting the car in drive, he turned to his stepsister, bracing himself for the dreaded girly talk of "feelings."

"I'm not worried about Nora because Edwin called me while I was on my way over here. Dad called and told us how they were doing," Derek now had Lizzie's full attention as she picked her head up and seemed to hang on every word he said, "Nora has a couple broken bones and a concussion but she'll be fine."

"And Casey?"

"She's in an induced coma," Derek told Lizzie quietly, fearing for her reaction and praying there would be no more tears.

Lizzie's eyes went wide. She's heard about comas. How people can stay in them for years and years like a vegetable until someone finally pulls the plug and lets them die. So her worst fears might be coming true after all… Casey could really…

"Lizzie calm down," Derek gently ordered as he awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder, not knowing what else to do. He wasn't really good at the whole "comfort" thing, but this time he couldn't pass the job along to anyone else so putting all sarcastic remarks aside, he tried his best.

"I told you I'm not worried about Casey and you shouldn't be either," he told her, "Before you guys moved in I thought I was the most stubborn person on the planet, but Case is about as stubborn, if not more stubborn than me. Definitely stubborn enough to pull through this. Besides, if Casey never snaps out of the coma, then she'll be leaving me as the one and only oldest and lose the battle between the McDonald's and Venturi's for good. Do you_ really_ think Casey would let that happen?"

"I guess not," Lizzie admitted.

"See? You have nothing to worry about. Plus, Casey's in an _induced _coma and if they can put her in a coma, they can pull her out of it. So they're both going to be fine," Derek told her as he considered his mission of comfort-Lizzie accomplished and started driving. Derek didn't know anything about medically-induced comas, but he figured what he said had to be true and even if it wasn't, if it calmed Lizzie down that's all that matters.

"But what if they weren't?" Lizzie asked. Although she felt better in the warmth of the Prince with Derek assuring her that her mom and sister would be alright, she still had to know if her reasons for running away to Toronto were well-founded. What _would _happen if Derek was wrong and her mom and sister weren't okay?

"Weren't what?" Derek asked, puzzled as he was focused on the road.

"What if they weren't going to be fine? What if the worst happened? What if they… Derek, what would happen to me if they d-died?" Lizzie finally asked him.

"Woah, so that's why you came all the way out here?" Derek asked, "You think that if Nora and Casey were gone we'd just throw you out into the street? Look, Liz, I don't wanna play the 'what if' game—"

"But what if-?"

"No, Lizzie," Derek said sternly, "We're not playing that game."

They stopped at a red light and Derek glanced at his stepsister. She still seemed fairly upset. Derek still didn't understand why he had to go get her from Toronto. He supposed he should have figured out earlier that it was about the accident, but from Lizzie's 'what if' game it seemed deeper with that. _What is it with girls having to think so deeply into everything anyway? _Derek wondered, _Isn't it enough for her to know that things'll be okay? Why does she have to think about crap that's not even happening? _

"Look, Liz," he began as the light turned green, "I'm not gonna play the 'what if' game with you because it's pointless, but no matter what does or doesn't happen, remember what I told you when I was coaching you in hockey…"

"Hockey's about winning?"

"No. Well, that too, but you're a Venturi now. And you can't quit being a Venturi. No matter what."

Lizzie remembered the words "Sort of" being part of his little speech, but she didn't press him on it. It was rare for Derek to be so nice (or nice at all for that matter). He seemed dead-set against talking about what could happen other than her mom and sister being fine and Lizzie didn't want to make him mad.

* * *

><p>When they were nearing London, Derek's phone vibrated. He took one hand off the wheel to check it, swearing under his breath.<p>

"What?" Lizzie asked.

"Edwin just texted me. Dad's on his way home. He and Marti are covering for us, but Ed's not the best with cover stories and Marti still hasn't gotten the whole lying concept," he told her.

"So what do we do?"

Derek pressed his foot on the gas pedal a little harder and answered, "We don't get caught."

* * *

><p>They arrived at their street to find George's car parked in the street in front of their house. Derek parked the Prince in the garage as he told Lizzie, "Okay, here's the plan. Dad parked in the street so he doesn't know we took the car. Take your jacket off and leave it and your backpack in here in case he catches us. I'll sneak them in later. I'll text Ed to see if the coast is clear to get in through the mud room and find out what our story is."<p>

Lizzie shrugged off her coat and placed it and her backpack on the floor of the Prince before getting out of the car and shutting the door as quietly as she could. Derek shortly joined her, after texting Ed and removing his own jacket.

"Okay, Marti's holding Dad prisoner asking him twenty questions, you're supposed to be in Casey's room. Let's go," Derek said as he quietly led the way through the mud room. Lizzie followed suit, admiring his tact as he paused to listen for any sounds before peering around corners and finally tiptoeing into the living room. He quickly but stealthily made his way across the room, motioning for Lizzie to follow. She followed up the stairs in equal silence, her heart starting to thump in anxiety as she could hear Marti and George's voices coming from Marti's room. Derek motioned for her to hurry up. They had just reached the corner with the doors to the rooms of Derek, Casey, and herself. Lizzie heard George's footsteps nearing and was about to go to her room when she felt Derek lightly shove her into Casey's room and close the door.

Alone in Casey's room, Lizzie pressed her ear against the door to hear George ask Derek what he was doing.

"Just checking on Lizzie. She's been freaking out ever since you told us about the accident, locked herself in Casey's room and everything," Derek told his father.

"Yeah, Edwin told me she was upset," George responded, "Marti doesn't seem to be taking it too well either. I just went to check on her and she kept me in there for a good half hour asking me all these questions—everything from how are Nora and Casey to what happens to people when they die to why can't hospitals have purple walls."

Lizzie could hear someone sigh and then George spoke.

"So nothing's broken, kids are relatively alright… Thanks for taking care of things here, Derek."

"No problamo," Derek assured him, "It was like they weren't even here. So any news on Nora and Casey?"

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Lizzie could hear George mumble something about staying at the hospital overnight and telling the kids after dinner.

Seeing that she wasn't going to hear anything new, Lizzie backed away from the door and collapsed on her sister's bed.

Inhaling the scent of Casey's vanilla perfume, Lizzie prayed for her mom and sister's recovery. Although Derek had been kinder than expected and she did feel better knowing her mom was going to be okay, she still couldn't imagine life without Casey. She thought it would be hard enough having Casey leave for college in a couple years and have her only visit on weekends or holidays. Lizzie just couldn't deal with her sister being absent from her life completely. She wasn't ready.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** As much as love Dasey, there just aren't enough Lizzie-central fics and there really wasn't enough Derek/Lizzie bonding in the series. I know the car accident scenario is overdone, but I hope this was a unique spin on it. Review?


	2. Chapter 2

When Lizzie finally returned to her room after the quietest dinner in McDonald-Venturi history, she saw that Derek had been true to his word and that her backpack and jacket had been tossed on her bed.

Although it was still relatively early, Lizzie felt exhausted. Not even bothering to unpack her backpack, she just threw it onto the floor and tossed her jacket in the general direction of her closet before sinking down onto her bed.

George was spending the night at the hospital. They wanted to keep her mom for the night to make sure no complications arose and Nora didn't want to leave Casey anyway. There still wasn't any word about Casey improving.

Derek was left in charge once again. To Lizzie's surprise, he actually came up to check on her—if only to tell her that if she decided to run away again not to expect him to come save her.

Edwin had tried to get her to play a round of Monopoly, but she declined. Well, declined was a light way of putting it. Her exact words had been "Edwin, if you don't stop bugging me I am going to take that stupid board game and beat you over the head with it!"

He hadn't spoken to her since. Lizzie felt a slight tug of guilt in the pit of her stomach thinking about it. She knew he meant well, but Lizzie couldn't just bring herself to play a stupid board game and act like everything was "chillz" while her sister was in a coma.

Still worrying about her sister and worn after the day's events, Lizzie fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

><p>Suddenly Lizzie shot up, shaking with tears in her eyes. She couldn't remember the exact content of her nightmare, but she knew it scared the crap out of her.<p>

_Casey,_ she told herself, _I just need to go to Casey's room. Then it'll be alright. Nothing can get me there_.

She had just scrambled out of bed and reached Casey's door before memories of the day's events caught up with her. As she peered into her sister's vacant room, Lizzie realized that she couldn't go to Casey about her nightmare and that Casey was the subject of said nightmare.

Lizzie couldn't bring herself to go back to her own room after a nightmare. Ever since she was little, Lizzie always went to Casey's room after a bad dream, as though whatever nightmare she had was confined to her own bed and couldn't follow her elsewhere. But what made Casey's room feel so safe was that Casey was in it—someone to remind her that dreams are merely dreams and there to protect her just in case that statement turned out to be false.

Lizzie stood shivering in the corner of the hallway for a minute, too scared to go back to her own room but unsure where else to go.

She couldn't help but notice Derek's "No Trespassing" sign glaring at her from next to Casey's room.

Knowing it was a long shot but having no other option, Lizzie took a deep breath. _Relax; it's only Derek,_ she thought as she softly knocked on his door. Not hearing a response, she cracked open his door and whispered, "Derek?"

Through the darkness she could make out the lump on the bed moving as Derek turned on his side to face the door.

"Whoz'at?" he mumbled still half-asleep with only one eye open as Lizzie fully slid into his room and shut the door behind her.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Lizzie asked trying to not to sound as whiny as she felt.

"Lizzie?" he opened in his eyes in surprised and eyed her tear-stained face warily "Why're you 'ere?"

"I had a nightmare," she mumbled as her gaze fell to the floor, "And Casey's not here so…"

"So get a night light and go back to bed," he murmured as he closed his eyes.

"That doesn't help!" she cried, "_Casey's not here_."

Derek huffed, but he moved to make room for Lizzie.

"Your feet better not reek like Edwin's," he grumbled.

"Ew, don't worry they don't," Lizzie assured him as she crawled into his bed.

"And this is a one-time thing because I'm feeling generous. Don't make this a habit," he mumbled groggily as he buried his face in his pillow.

Pulling the covers up to her chin, Lizzie felt safer. Derek's room may not be as clean as Casey's or as nice-smelling, but it still felt safe. _It's okay_ Lizzie told herself, _The nightmares can't get me now. I'm with Derek; I'm safe…_

Usually when she went to Casey, she would receive some sort of practical comfort—Casey would insist on talking about her dream, psycho-analyze it to death, and make it seem ridiculous to be afraid of some subconscious mumbo-jumbo.

Derek wasn't Casey. He didn't ask questions or prod her into talking or even tell her that it was just a dream. But he was there and that was comforting enough.

His bed was warm and his quilt was soft and his breathing had evened out already, lulling Lizzie to sleep.

* * *

><p>Lizzie awoke the next morning feeling very disoriented. Before she opened her eyes, she could tell that sunlight was streaming in from the wrong direction and she couldn't tell which way she was laying down.<p>

It wasn't until she opened her eyes that she remembered her nightmare and how it sent her crawling to Derek.

Sure enough, Derek was still asleep on his side, facing away from Lizzie.

Now that it was daylight, Lizzie felt a little embarrassed that she actually went to Derek over a stupid nightmare. It was practically permission for him to mock her for at least a week.

Groaning at the thought of the inevitable teasing she'd have to endure, Lizzie unraveled herself from the bed and snuck out as quietly as she could.

On the way back to her room, she passed Casey's door and felt a pang in her chest as she realized that her nightmare wasn't over. Casey still wasn't home and maybe she never would be.

For a day without any real adult supervision, the house was fairly quiet. Or at least it was before Derek woke up.

Lizzie, Edwin and Marti had been in the living room watching cartoons when the eldest Venturi descended the stairs.

"Marti, remote!" he began barking orders as usual, "Edwin, breakfast! Eggs, scrambled, stat!"

"You want toast with that?" Edwin asked as he stood up to comply.

"Of course," Derek replied making a face as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Lizzie!"

_Here it comes_, Lizzie thought, bracing herself for the teasing.

"… chocolate milkshakes!"

"Huh?" She had not been expecting that.

"Chocolate milkshakes," he repeated, "Make them. If we're going to have a 'rent-free breakfast, we should do it right."

_And Casey-free breakfast_, Lizzie thought. She knew this was something neither her mother nor sister would approve of. But she did love chocolate milkshakes, and Derek was in charge and telling her to make them. It was only right to follow his orders, right?

* * *

><p>"I can't believe him!" Lizzie shouted as she threw down a wet sponge on the counter.<p>

"What, you expected Derek to clean up after himself?" Edwin replied as he dried another dish.

The chocolate milkshake idea had turned into a fiasco. Marti decided that she wanted to help and turned the blender on before securing the lid. Derek found the whole thing hilarious. Once was done laughing and high-fiving Marti, he poured what remained in the blender into a tall glass for himself and ordered Lizzie and Edwin to clean up the kitchen.

"No, but he's acting like everything's normal! So are you, for that matter!" she yelled accusingly as she wiped down the counter, "At least Marti's busy making Casey a get well card! What is with you guys? Don't you care that it's been a full day and my mom and Casey still aren't home from the hospital?"

"It's just another one of those things that _us_ guys deal with differently than _you_ girls," Edwin explained as he continued doing the dishes.

"Oh, so it's just a _guy thing _not be worried when your stepmom and stepsister are in the hospital?"

"No, that's not what I meant," Edwin shook his head, "I'm the sensitive guy, remember? You know that I'm worried about them just as much as you are. So's Derek. We just don't show it the same way."

"You're not showing it at all!" she shouted.

"Derek had us make _chocolate milkshakes_ with breakfast," Edwin said as though it explained everything.

"Exactly! Casey's in a coma and he's more worried about getting his sugar intake!"

Edwin shook his head again, "I can't remember Derek craving chocolate milkshakes since the time Marti caught pneumonia. It means he's worried."

Lizzie huffed, "I don't believe you!" and Edwin only shrugged in response.

Frustrated, Lizzie threw down the sponge into the sink (splashing Edwin in the process) and stomped up to her room, leaving Edwin to finish the cleanup himself.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter! I know this chapter is short and kind of fluffy, but I hope starts to address the issue of how Derek is handling the situation. I do agree that Derek must be worried, but I don't think he'd show it outright, especially not in front of the younger kids (and the story is more Lizzie-centric). I've been trying to subtly hint that he isn't acting entirely himself, but don't worry- you will get to see Derek's true feelings soon ;)

Reviews would be awesome.


	3. Chapter 3

George had come home for a couple hours to eat, nap and shower before returning to the hospital. He was still frazzled and didn't give the kids any news, which Lizzie took to be a bad sign. All George had told them was that Derek would be driving them to the hospital for a visit while he took Nora home. Lizzie was less than enthused.

Actually, Lizzie was downright terrified. She didn't want to see her sister in a coma. It would look too much like she was dead. Lizzie didn't want to see that.

So when Derek called them to leave, Lizzie did the first thing she could think of—she dived under her bed to hide. _If they think I'm not home, they can't bring me_, she thought.

"LIZZIE, WE'RE LEAVING!" she heard Derek bellow from downstairs. She didn't respond. _Just leave, just leave, _she thought, _Don't look for me, just leave._

No such luck.

Lizzie heard her door creak open and Marti's squeaky voice call, "Lizzie, are you playing hide and seek?"

She heard footsteps walk toward her closet and the door open.

_Don't look under the bed. Don't look under the bed. Don't look—_

The bed skirt was lifted and Lizzie found herself face to face with Marti.

"What are you doing?" Marti asked.

"Uh, I lost my shoes and was looking for them under here," she lied weakly, "And you can't go anywhere without shoes so just tell Derek that you guys can leave without me."

"Okay," Marti nodded and scampered off, leaving the bed skirt to fall back into place.

Lizzie stayed in her hiding spot, deciding she wasn't going to come out until she was sure the others were gone.

Unfortunately for her, Derek had apparently decided not to leave without her.

Lizzie heard footsteps coming closer and next thing she knew she had been dragged out from under her bed by her ankles.

"Looking for your shoes, huh? You mean the ones on your feet?" he asked with narrowed eyes as he relinquished his hold on her.

Lizzie scrambled into a standing position as she fake-laughed, "Oh, I uh… didn't notice."

Derek cocked an eyebrow and made a mocking sound before saying, "Well if you're done 'looking for your shoes' we gotta go. Dad'll kill me if I don't get him and Nora off of Casey-duty soon."

Lizzie had forgotten that George mentioned something about her mom refusing to leave Casey in the hospital alone. Although Nora was free to leave the hospital, she still hadn't come home yet since the accident.

"So you should go to the hospital," Lizzie told him shakily, "And I'll stay here and dog-sit!"

"Nice try, but we don't have a dog," he retorted.

"House-sit?" she asked more tentatively.

"No. If I have to go, you all have to go," he pointed a finger at her for emphasis, "And remind me to start giving you lying lessons when we get back—you could use some pointers."

Derek turned to leave but Lizzie stayed rooted to the spot.

There was nothing in the world she wanted to do less than have to see her sister's unconscious body in a hospital.

Noticing that Lizzie wasn't following, Derek snapped his fingers and whistled as though he were calling a dog, "Come on, if you come now I'll get you a tre-eat!" he singsonged.

"I'm not going," Lizzie announced as she sat on her bed with her arms folded.

Derek groaned, "Come on, I don't have time for this and Nora will kill me if I don't bring you."

"But I _don't wanna go_," Lizzie whined. Why couldn't he see just how much she wanted to avoid seeing her sister in a coma?

"It's a hospital, no one wants to go!" Derek shouted, clearly annoyed.

When Lizzie didn't respond, he just stated, "You're going," before walking back over to his younger stepsibling and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Derek!" she shouted as she pounded on his back, "You can't make me go!"

"I could, if you stopped hitting me," he hissed as he carried her downstairs where Edwin and Marti were waiting with their coats on.

"Why are you carrying Lizzie?" Marti asked.

"Because Lizzie's being a big baby," Derek grunted as he grabbed Lizzie's coat off the rack and threw it over his shoulder on top of Lizzie.

"Ed, door!" he called and Edwin sprang to open the door.

Derek didn't put Lizzie down until they were outside and it was too late for her to run back to her room. Not that she didn't consider trying it anyway.

"Ed, you're on Lizzie-duty. Make sure she doesn't jump out the car window or something," Derek commanded as they reached the Prince in the garage.

Lizzie rolled her eyes as Edwin opened the back door behind the passenger's seat and insisted that she enter the car before him.

* * *

><p>By the time they reached the hospital, Lizzie's stomach was doing summersaults. The whole trip, Edwin had been reassuring her that it would be okay and that it's not like the hospital was run by evil vampires who were going to lock them in there and slowly eat them for dinner one by one or anything. It was hardly a comforting thought.<p>

Following Derek and Marti into the main entrance, Lizzie debated falling back behind the others and just waiting for her mom and George to come out and leave with them. Her pace slowed down, testing the waters to see if Derek would notice. She didn't want him pulling (or worse, carrying) her up to Casey's room like some baby.

But Edwin turned to look at her and noticed how scared she was.

"It'll be okay," he repeated for the umpteenth time and gently grabbed her hand. Having no other choice, Lizzie walked with him down the hallway to the room Casey was in.

The room was smaller than Lizzie thought it would be. And dark with shades covering the only window. And _quiet_. The only sounds came from the steady beeping of a machine hooked up to Casey.

Casey looked every bit as bad as Lizzie feared. There was a bandage above her right eyebrow with blood clearly visible through the gauze. There was a dark purple bruise covering half her face on her right cheek and tiny cuts trailing down her neck and her right arm was in a cast. If it weren't for the steady rise and fall of her chest, Lizzie would think she was dead.

Lizzie moved behind Edwin, gripping his hand tighter. She was so not ready to deal with this.

"We're here," Derek announced.

George looked up from his seat by the window and stood up.

"Alright, Nora, our shift's over," he told his wife gently.

Nora was seated right next to Casey's bed on the left side, holding her daughter's good hand.

"Nora," he repeated softly.

Lizzie fought to hold back tears as she saw her mom nod and kiss Casey's forehead before standing to face them.

Her left arm was in a sling, but otherwise she didn't look as banged up as Casey.

"Hi, honey," she said to Lizzie as she tried to muster a reassuring grin, "You guys will be okay here, visiting Casey for a couple hours, right?"

"Right," Derek answered, "Just one question: does this place have an arcade or something?"

"Derek!" George reprimanded sternly.

"Just trying to relieve some of the tension," Derek answered with his hands raised in surrender, "Go, we'll be fine."

Once the two adults left, the room was awkwardly quiet. The Venturi kids were all busy playing hand-held video games (except for Marti who took turns between watching Derek and watching Edwin). Lizzie had dragged her chair into the corner farthest from Casey, but she had nothing to do but stare at her unconscious sister.

This went on for about a half hour before a nurse walked in and suggested that they try talking to Casey, that talking could help pull her out of the coma.

As soon as the nurse left, Marti whined "I'm hungry."

Lizzie immediately volunteered to take her to the nearest vending machine and Edwin offered to join them as Derek called after them to score him some food.

Little did they know, Derek was already taking the nurse's words to heart.

* * *

><p>Outside the Room of Death, as Lizzie had come to think of it, Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief.<p>

They passed several bustling people on the way to the vending machine, hearing sounds of chatter over the beeping of machines being transferred from one place to another. The hallway was lively, unlike Casey's room had been.

"Y'know, I've been thinking about what that nurse said," Edwin mumbled as he pushed a couple buttons on the machine, "Maybe we should talk to Casey. One on one, ya know? Spend some time with her?"

He handed the bag of chips to Marti who tore into them instantly, completely oblivious to the conversation.

"Yeah, maybe" Lizzie replied weakly. It was her turn to pick something from the machine, but she still felt nauseous at the mental image of Casey banged up, bandaged and in a coma.

"You should go first," he told her, "You're her sister. Smarti and I can wait here and you can send Derek to meet us—I forgot what kind of candy he wanted."

Sighing, Lizzie nodded. _You can do this_, she told herself.

* * *

><p>Heading back towards Casey's room, Lizzie began to mentally prepare herself to be alone with an unconscious Casey.<p>

However, the sound of a hoarse male voice coming from Casey's room stopped her in her tracks.

"C'mon, Case, you gotta pull outta this…"

Was that _Derek_? Lizzie hung back around the doorway, far enough so that she wouldn't be seen but close enough to eavesdrop.

"Who else am I supposed to copy off of in school, huh?"

Yupp, definitely Derek.

"Look, I kind of suck at this whole _feelings _thing, but… the house is too quiet without you. I… I miss you…" he said quietly.

Lizzie heard a shaky intake of breath.

Could he be _crying_?

"You gotta wake up, Case. _Please_. For Nora, and Lizzie, and Edwin, and Marti. And for me. I know I bug you, but I know you know that deep, deep, deep down I... _c-care_ about you. You know it, I know you do. So you gotta wake up."

Outside of the room, Lizzie was in shock. He had murmured that last part so quietly that she wasn't sure if she heard him correctly. But if she had heard him correctly, then Edwin was right. Derek did care after all.

* * *

><p>Lizzie was too dumbfounded to hear the sound of a metal chair scraping against the linoleum floor.<p>

"What're you doing out here?" Derek questioned as he appeared in the doorway. His voice sounded funny and hoarse like he had a sore throat. His eyes were red, too and his face was a little blotchy. _He _had _been crying_, Lizzie noted.

"I- uh – Nothing – um - I was just coming to get you," Lizzie stumbled, suddenly remembering what Edwin had sent her back for, "Edwin and Marti are waiting for you by the vending machine. They didn't know what you wanted out of the machine."

"Oh" was all he said as he walked past her down the hall.

Lizzie looked after him as he walked, longing to leave the scene. But deep down, she knew she should talk to Casey, too. Besides, if _Derek _of all people put his fear of feelings aside and talked to Casey, surely she could overcome her fears, too.

_If Derek can do it, so can you_, Lizzie told herself as she took a deep breath and entered the room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Thanks so much to those who reviewed last chapter!Sorry it took so long to update, school has been crazy this semester! But there are still one, possibly two chapters left of this story and I am determined to finish writing/posting them. I know the scenes were a little short, but I hope this chapter has satisfied the Dasey-lovers!

Reviews would be awesome whether you loved it, hated it, felt somewhere in between or have any constructive criticism :)


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, Casey," Lizzie began nervously, "Everything's been kind of crazy since you left. Since the groceries were in the car when you got hit, we still don't have any food in the house. We've been living off of take-out and Derek made us make chocolate milkshakes. You would have hated to see the mess it left in the kitchen. But maybe I shouldn't be telling you about the stuff you'd hate because I don't want that to make you want to stay in bed. Umm… I took a trip to Toronto. You would have liked to go back with me, wouldn't you? I went to Oakwood Park. The one you took me to when we were little that had the big lake where we could feed the geese. It looks a lot smaller now, but maybe it'll look big again if you come there with me. It would be nice for both us to visit Toronto, right? Right now we're all here visiting you… please wake up, Casey. I… I still need a big sister."

Lizzie opened her eyes.

To her dismay, Casey looked every bit as banged up and bruised as she did before Lizzie closed her eyes and started talking.

Lizzie was old enough not to believe in magic, but she couldn't have helped but hope that once she opened her eyes Casey would somehow wake up and be okay. Just like in Sleeping Beauty. Aurora always was Casey's favorite Disney Princess.

_Stupid fairy tales_, Lizzie thought as she stood up and exited Casey's room. She found Edwin and Marti waiting right outside the door.

"Your turn," she told Edwin as she took Marti's hand and walked back to the vending machine, wishing there was someplace, any place else she could go to.

"Are you still scared?" Marti asked, looking up at Lizzie.

"I'm not scared," Lizzie answered bluntly as she pretended to examine the different types of potato chips in the vending machine.

"But you were," Marti persisted, "Are you better now?"

"I don't know," Lizzie admitted. It was hard lying to someone as perceptive as Marti, "It was a little scary having to see Casey like that, but it was a lot scary thinking she might be like that for a long time. I was just hoping Casey would wake up like Aurora does in Sleeping Beauty but she didn't."

Marti's face instantly lit up, "I bet I know why Casey's still asleep!"

Before Lizzie could stop her, Marti took off running down the hall back to Casey's room.

"It's my turn to talk to Casey!" Marti announced to Edwin, "Wait, where's Derek?"

Edwin shrugged as Lizzie caught up and joined them in Casey's room.

"I thought… you wanted… to talk to Casey," Lizzie said between breaths, still panting from chasing Marti down the hall.

"I do, but Casey needs Derek so she can wake up!" Marti said excitedly.

"Why would—"

"Who needs me?" Derek sauntered into the room with his eyes clear and no sign of tears before Edwin could finish his question.

"Casey does!" Marti shouted, "You two, out!" she motioned to Edwin and Lizzie before grabbing their wrists and leading them out the door. Once the two were standing in the hallway, Marti made them promise to stay out for now and closed the door in their faces.

"What is she doing in there?" Edwin asked.

"Shh!" Lizzie hushed him, "If we complain about being thrown out, we can't eavesdrop!"

Edwin's face instantly transformed from disgruntled to excited as he placed his left ear on the door.

Unfortunately, all the two stepsiblings could distinguish through the thick wooden door was a collage of "Smarti, no!" and "Smerek, yes!" before an aged nurse they hadn't seen before admonished them for "playing" in a hospital and asked them where their parents were.

* * *

><p>"Playing in a hospital, huh?" George questioned as he neared the bit of hallway where Lizzie and Edwin were still waiting outside of Casey's room. "Anyone want to tell me why you're out here and Derek is—where is Derek?"<p>

As Edwin explained Marti's latest antics to his father with Lizzie occasionally jumping in, cheers suddenly erupted from Casey's room. Instantly, Edwin and George's conversation ceased as George opened the door to Casey's room and Edwin and Lizzie followed him inside.

"It worked! It worked!" Marti shouted.

A faint groan could be heard from Casey's bed. _Casey!_ Lizzie and George immediately pushed past an elated Marti and a dumbstruck Derek to crowd Casey's beside.

Slowly, Casey opened her eyes and shut them again, emitting a low moan. A smile lit up Lizzie's face. That moan was the single greatest sound she had ever heard. It meant Casey was still alive. Casey had barely stirred, but it was something. George excused himself to call Nora and tell her the good news and it wasn't long before word of Casey's awakening reached the head nurse on duty who ushered the McDonald-Venturi's outside into the hall.

* * *

><p>By the time five of the McDonald-Venturi residents sat down to eat Derek's infamous mac and cheese for dinner, word was that Casey's condition appeared to be improving. She could open her eyes and speak simple phrases such as "Water" or "Mom" and the machines tethered to her body indicated strengthening vital signs and regular brain activity. But they weren't out of the woods yet.<p>

After George and the kids had been asked to leave due to "overwhelming the patient" and violating the hospital's "no children in the intensive unit" rule, Nora had returned to the hospital to sit with Casey. She spoke briefly with Casey's doctor who emphasized that waking from a coma does not mean that Casey was okay. She was fine in the sense that she was still alive, but the risk of brain trauma and complications were high. It would take at least a few days of brain scans and testing to rule out any permanent damage.

Once George hung up the phone and broke the news to the kids, Lizzie lost her appetite. She managed to choke down just a couple bites for the sake of humoring Derek, who had been boasting about being the greatest chef in the house, before excusing herself to go to her room.

_Casey is alive._ Lizzie tried to focus her mind on that comforting fact, but she couldn't help but be haunted by the doctor's grim expectations. _There's a high risk of complications_. That's what George had said Nora said the doctor said. What did that mean, anyway?

When Molly Mousekevitz sprained her ankle pretty badly, she had said that there was a chance of complication that would mean she couldn't play soccer anymore. But Casey didn't hurt her ankle and she didn't play sports. No, Casey wrote poetry and joined a debate team. And she had hurt her brain. What did a brain injury mean? Would Casey be able to think the same? Lizzie didn't know. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

Lizzie also didn't know what Marti had planned that evidently jolted Casey out of her coma, but that a question she wanted an answer to.

* * *

><p>Soon after Marti's bedtime, Lizzie crept down the hall into her younger stepsister's room. Sure enough, Marti was still awake, reading a bedtime story to herself. She looked delighted at the opportunity to stall bedtime by entertaining her unexpected guest.<p>

"Marti, do you remember when Casey woke up today?" Lizzie asked in a hushed tone as she sat on Marti's bedside.

"Ahuh," Marti nodded as her face broke into a smile.

"Do you remember the plan you had to wake her up?"

Marti nodded again and let out a giggle.

"Can you tell me?"

Marti shook her head, "Derek made me promise not to tell _anyone._"

"But I'm your stepsister, can't you at least tell me?"

"No," Marti said assertively. Then she leaned closer to Lizzie and whispered, "But I can tell you this: you were the one who gave me the idea."

Lizzie looked at Marti in confusion and Marti lifted her storybook so that the cover was now visible. The book was an adaptation of _Sleeping Beauty_.

Lizzie's eyes widened, "He _kissed_ her?" she whispered in shock.

"You didn't hear it from me," Marti chirped happily.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update. Only one chapter left (I think) and hopefully it won't take me so long to get it uploaded. Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, alerted and even just read the story!<p> 


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